048 – Decide What You Are Going To Do

Roxanne heard a sound she had not heard before. She stopped her sweeping of the dining room and went out to the guards who stood at the doors to the wing. She got to the doors as they pulled the first closed.

“What is happening?”

The guards who stood here were never the same ones twice. As such Rox had never learned their names, having only seen a handful a second time. Nor could she remember the exact names of the ranks. After having them described, Rox thought of them as a corporal and a sergeant; the pair was never coed, though the men and women traded days they stood guard. The corporal was unlocking the door from its clip that held it open and starting to pull it as the sergeant stopped to deal with Rox.

“A battle alert. We are to close and lock the doors and report to our superiors. Either stay in or get out, but the doors are closing.” The sergeant then gave the corporal a hand pulling the door closed.

Rox stepped out into the hall and thought quickly whether there was anything she would need, and decided there was not. The sergeant closed the door with a boom and then turned a handle locking it, and the two took their pole arms and dashed off. Rox saw that she was alone for a moment, when several bass thuds echoed through the structure, rattling the windows.

“That was not normal.” Rox had been through a few mild earth tremors here and knew that this was different. She knew that under normal circumstances The Sorceress was in the throne room at this time, so Rox started in that direction. Rox walked quickly, thinking both how to get to the throne room, and what she would do once she got there, her mind racing ahead of her feet. Into the closest hub of the structure, down two levels, along to the business wing where the winged statues were. Keep going forward, and there was a party of guards at the bottom of the stairs in a fight. With a handful of guys in dark outfits.

The bright blue and polished steel of the guards was easy to tell from the black of the interlopers. Rox’s train of thought derailed and then turned to fight or flight. Never one to flee, Rox looked the situation over deciding how she might help. The groups were currently one on one. Rox crept down the stairs as a guard backed a man in her direction, the guard’s pole arm against the attacker’s long sword and buckler.

Rox wished she had a stick. Then the guard caused the attacker to dodge against the stairs, right beside Rox. She grabbed the man by his tunic, and pulled him over the railing and palm-struck him under his ear, knocking him senseless. She let him go to tumble down two stairs. The guard held his pole arm at ready, pointing at Rox.

Rox pointed past the guard. “Behind you.”

The guard struck with a sweep of his pole arm, and turned to rejoin the fight.

Rox looked the man at her knees over, and saw he had a length of cord on his belt. Rox pushed his sword away, and then pulled his arms behind him, and quickly looped the cord around them, and then added one leg at the ankle as an after thought. She stepped over the bound man and down to the floor at this level.

This was the floor she wanted to be on. So she started toward the hall she wanted, skirting around the melee finishing on the middle of the area. The guards were busy cleaning up the last two attackers, as four more guards showed up to help, beginning with getting the wounded bluecoats out of the way. One of the guards challenged Rox with his pole arm at the ready as she started to the hall to the business wing.

“Where are you going?” The female guard did not waver in her challenge.

Rox stopped. “I am looking for My Lady, The Sorceress, to offer her my assistance.”

The woman guard stood her ground, looking Rox over, then yielded, and stood aside. “She is down that way.”

Rox nodded. “Thank you.” She strode off quickly, rubbing her hand where she had hit the man.

Half way down the hall to this wings courtyard entrance a group of guards stood at the main doors to the throne room. Rox doubted that The King or Queen was here as the place was not well enough defended. The Sorceress stood among the group, talking, idly holding her magic stick that she and Rox had previous experience with.

Roxanne went to the Sorceress, “My Lady I can help. Give me a weapon and let me fight.”

One of the guards scoffed. “A slave fight? Preposterous.”

Roxanne countered. “I have only been a slave the last several weeks. Before then I was able to take care of myself. Give me a weapon; you need all the help you can get.”

The Sorceress considered for a moment, then handed Roxanne the staff she held. “Twist here and here and the ends energize, tripling the effective length.” She demonstrated and held the staff out.

Roxanne took the staff sensing its magic extensions, twirled it, stood to ready with it. “The balance will take some getting used to, but this will work.” The staff had assorted carved creatures and scenes on it. It was just under 4 feet long. Enough to be a cane, but not enough to be a full staff without the magic active.

Sorceress suddenly came at her with a borrowed pole arm, and they sparred a bit. Then Sorceress backed away satisfied. “She will do.”

The Sorceress handed the pole arm back to the sergeant she had taken it from. “Where were you thinking?”

Rox pointed the way she had come. “There was already a patrol of eight that got in from somewhere, and was stopped at the hub. I figured to go help at the front doors.”

Rox turned and went as The Sorceress motioned her on her way.

Rox went back to the hub. As she went, one of The Sorceress’s personal guards stayed with her. As opposed to the Palace Guard, this group wore a green sash over the belt line of their breast plates, which sash only showed up on formal occasions. Rox had met these women rarely enough that she did not know their names. They went down another flight of stairs, and out a different direction. This level had one hallway with rooms with windows. The other rooms were store rooms. Rox went in the direction of the windows and the front doors of the palace.

Rox arrived at the main doors foyer. Beyond was a courtyard that opened to a plaza on the first level of the city. The palace sat far enough off the plain that the natural terrain was this much higher already, though this was not really very far.

An arc of guards stood back from the door, as some one banged on it from the other side. The windows here were covered with closed curtains. A boom came from the doors. Rox knew that the floor directly above had a common outer wall with this floor, with casemates looking over the courtyard, above that was a barbican, with a crenellated top to the wall. Those positions should be manned, though a skilled planner should account for those. The doors boomed again. Rox guessed, correctly that it was a bettering ram, probably with some kind of defensive shield around it. She noted that half of the guards here had short bows ready, and aimed at the doors; these men and women stood along the walls, on the statue bases.

Four guards were standing at the doors, and seemed to be timing the booms. Another boom was followed by those four pausing then moving very quickly to unbar the doors, and pull them open as the battering ram nose came flying though, carrying the forward ranks of men with it to crash to the floor spilling the men holding it. The archers all let fly, and three of the men would not get up on their own ever again. Several more men were hit as they tried to let go of the ram when it unexpectedly went into the hall.

Rox compared the eighteen guards and herself and tag along to the number she saw, and decided there was a deficit on the side of the locals. But the archers got off another shot filling the hall with more wounded as two dozen men swarmed over each other into the entry.

Rox stood at the back as the front guards held the gate, and then a push through the lines brought the skirmish within the guards on the second line. The skirmish quickly devolved into man-to-man. Rox found herself facing a black-shirt with her staff, against a sword and buckler. She knocked the sword aside and almost bashed the bluecoat next to her, switched to paired sticks, waded in, and quickly bashed the sword to the floor and knocked him out. As he fell Rox acted on reflex and smashed the throat of another standing right next to her, after that black-shirt ran a bluecoat through.

The archers on the sides kept the doors blockaded as best they could.

Then the melee here was over, with black-shirts and a few bluecoats on the floor, the battering ram in the doorway, and most of the bluecoats and Rox standing ready to take on more comers. With none forth coming, the wounded bluecoats were separated; the walking ones supporting each other, the ones who could not walk were pulled aside and tended to. The black-shirts were sorted between dead and dying, and merely wounded. The wounded were lined up in a side hallway and restrained, while their wounds were treated. The dead black-shirts were dragged outside and piled aside. The captured weapons were piled aside.

Rox reassembled the staff, and was pulled/escorted away by The Sorceress’ Bodyguard, and taken up to the roof of this part of the structure. A white smoke drifted across this area obscuring the view of the north part of the city. Rox could see the courtyard walls lined by more bluecoats than she had considered would be here. The leader conferred with The Bodyguard, and then the Bodyguard scooped up Rox and took her back into the palace, and off to find someone to report to.

They entered the structure and trotted down the halls, through a hub and into a wing that Rox had only traveled through with the pages. They came to a hub that Rox recognized, and went through it to the business wing and the Throne Room. Here the Bodyguard reported to a senior bluecoat, and was told that The Sorceress was out to the roof of this part of the palace.

The Bodyguard again took Rox and went in a direction that Rox had never been. They entered a side corridor, and went up a narrow flight of stairs that switched back twice and came out in a cupola on the outer wall of this wing. The Bodyguard turned to her right and went out onto the walkway that ringed the crenellated top of the outer wall. Rox followed as they trotted to the front of the wing, overlooking another of the palace courtyards. They entered another larger cupola that overlooked the courtyard and here found The Sorceress and a few senior guards.

“My lady.” The Bodyguard spoke as she was noticed.

“Report.” The Sorceress replied.

“Two platoons tried to enter the front doors. They were repulsed, at some cost.” The Bodyguard reported.

“Very good.” The Sorceress and the other guards turned to a map of the palace and moved a few little blocks.

As Rox listened, the discussion focused on learning what going on beyond the palace. All the reports of the palace were that the entrances were all covered and that the Palace Guard force was at full strength.

The apparent senior guard turned to one of his aids, and instructed him to go find a person by name, and find out what was happening among the City Guard, and Constables.

In a quiet moment after the aid turned and left, Rox looked out the windows and asked, “What about doing something about the smoke?”

The Sorceress replied negatively. “There might be a mage among them, and I don’t want to tip my hand about my capacities yet. I have not felt much magic in use. I have sensed some magic off to the south west, but it is not directed against the palace. I can only presume some local is using magic to make a fuss.”

The senior guard added to her point. “That is why we need to contact the City Guard, and Constables. They were warned of this group’s coming, and to quietly organize the militia. That these five platoons that have got into the palace are a sign that the militia and constables were not covering everything. Just as well we were mustered enough to stand to.”

Rox felt out of her depth, but not out of comprehension as she listened. “You knew this group of… black-shirts were coming?”

“The Queen warned us of them when she got home. Some of her contacts down south told her. As did our boarder guards when they crossed. We were initially concerned that you might be involved. But you have proven not to be. Now the best thing you can do is stay out of the way.” The senior guard said this as matter-of-factly as if reciting the recipe for a sandwich.

050 – Rewards And Bargains

Rox sat off the side of the Dias as The Sorceress and The King and The Queen received reports from the Palace Guard and from a few officers from the City Guard, looking similar to the palace guard, but with red tunics instead of blue under their armor, and the Constables in red tunics over their armor. Most of the black-shirts had been captured, or killed. But on one of the upper levels that looked on the back of the palace to the south west, there was still some bit of squabbling to be cleaned up. It appeared that that group was the main strike force, but had started out too far away from the palace to do any real damage, thanks to the preparations of the Guards and militia. The militia and the constables in that area had not yet checked in with a final disposition.

As they mulled for a bit, a runner for the City Guard came in, saying that the leader had been captured, but that those who had him refused to turn him over to any but a Palace Guard Officer.

The King responded first. “If they have Lord Nadel, let them call for a Palace Guard. Go ahead and send someone.”

The senior guard turned to an aid, which left with the runner. Shortly the aid came back.

*          *          *

After part of an hour, a Palace Guard Officer finally showed up at the alley. His vivid blue tunic bearing what Steven gathered to be the royal device on his left breast and shoulder. He carried a sword at his belt. Unusually he did not appear to be wearing armor, where all the rest of the guards and constables did. “I understand that you have the leader of this band. What do you want?”

Caspian stepped forward. “We understand that a woman was recently sold to The Palace, as a slave. If it is who we believe it is, we will trade these two for her.”

“I am not authorized to perform such transactions. Nor do I have any specific information on recent acquisitions. But if you will bring your prisoners, I will do my best to help.”

“Fair enough.”

Both men turned away. The Guard to muster an escort, and send a runner to the palace; Caspian to help Steven with his bound captive. Once the man was hobbled, Steven finally retrieved his cross bow. It was a bit scuffed, but otherwise still serviceable. It had discharged since Steven had last had a good hold on it. The bolt was not in evidence, not even under the eaves of the buildings on either side. Steven slung it across his back and went back to work.

Steven had a loop around the leaders neck, with his good arm tied to the leash behind his back. His mangled elbow caused the right arm just to dangle. The hand was weekly holding to the man’s belt. He limped on his damaged knee. The bugler was also on a leash, both hands bound behind his back. The leash ran down to one of his feet.

A cart was brought, with a guard detail. Their Palace Blue in contrast to the red of the City Guard. Caspian led the way, collapsed the shield, and climbed up into the cart. Cyrril fluttered down to land on his shoulder. The leader was pushed over to lie on the floor of the cart, and Steven got in, and pulled him in the rest of the way. He then pulled the bugler in, and Abey climbed in. A pair of guards followed, and the tailgate was put in place. The driver then moved his way out of the immediate chaos, and onto the main thoroughfare. Steven turned to see that a pair of horses was pulling the cart at a good pace.

Abey tugged his sleeve and pointed out of the cart. Steven and one of the guards both looked where she pointed. The Wolves Wagon Master stood by a shop with Miri and all their laid aside gear.

“Your mule, sir. You left him behind.” With the smooth experience of a caravaner, he dropped Miri’s lead over the rear stake of the wagon as it rolled past.

“Thank you, mister.” Abey called, putting her hand on the loop to keep it from slipping off.

Steven nodded in return, respecting the man’s desire to remain anonymous, and wondering how he had found them. Whether the guard recognized anything, was uncertain, and of trivial importance. Miri fell into step as his lead came to length, and followed the cart.

First, they went down a level and into a receiving area. The place had a double compliment of Palace Guards on duty. Two helped Abey, and then the prisoners down. They were directed inside. Caspian led, Steven and Abey and their respective charges following into the main warehouse structure, with an escort of two guards each. Each of them was taken slightly separate to talk to a clerk. The bugler was sat down, and a large canine sat in front of him, facing him; a clerk there spoke with Abey. The man just sat quietly, still a bit dazed from being hit over the head.

Steven and his prisoner are taken by their guards a bit further, and sat down for a healer to look the leader over. First they asked Steven’s name and origin.

“I am Steven Caplan, and I think Terra would be the best answer.”

“What happened to the arm?”

Steven answered. “I bent it around backwards. I doubt he will be able to use it anytime soon.”

“And the throat and head?” The man’s tone suggested boredom, another list to fill out.

“Encouragement to cooperate. The knee was to prevent flight.” Steven matched the man’s tones.

The healer wrote some stuff down. “You’ll live. Get in line.”

The guards stood the man up, and frog marched him back to the entrance. Steven followed, with the leash in his hand. The other five joined them as an officer approached carrying some papers, and hailed them. The officer from the market was with him.

“This is them, sir.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

The senior officer gathered the group with his glance. “Come with me.”

He led them out into the courtyard, and onto another cart. The previous arrangement of the passengers continued, with Miri behind. A light breeze started, and Steven stole a quick moment to change from his cloak and poncho to his greatcoat, pulled from Miri’s load, and to secure his crossbow to the mule’s load. Later, Steven would notice an arrow hole in the middle of the cloak, about half way up. They went back up one level, and across several terraces and around the Palace structure. There were signs of the melee having gotten this far and even into the Palace proper. They approached the Palace from the opposite side they had entered the city from, and then turned aside to go in a Guard Entrance.

They entered first a smaller outer court, where a guard platoon formed up around them. They then went through a second gate and fortress wall, and into a parade ground. The group stopped, and the cart was again dismounted. It was then led away, with Miri’s lead being held by a palace stable hand. An entourage then approached from some stairs leading from a balcony on the Palace. Steven looked them over. He recognized Roxanne’s stride and stature among the group. The decorative helmets and spears being the only things taller than this woman. But she did not look quite like Roxanne.

Caspian came to his side, and spoke English. “Say and do nothing irrational. Answer anything asked directly to you. Otherwise let me do the talking.”

Steven was not going to argue. The adrenaline high from the battle was leaving him. The rush of potentially seeing his wife again was about to hit, and rationality on its own was hard in that kind of situation.

Roxanne looked the group over as they approached. A runner had come saying that a wizard, a fighter, and a highlands-woman had captured the assault group’s leader, and would trade him for a certain woman, or news and means to find her. The King gave leave to the Sorceress to meet them and bring them to him, if this was about Roxanne. Now they met the group in a side courtyard where the guards normally drilled.

There were the Palace Guards in formation around the cart. The group got out, and the cart left. The two prisoners were being held slightly apart by the guards. The wizard with his tall staff and woolen duster; a young woman in a leather tunic, and…

Roxanne’s heart leapt within her, and she almost broke out of the group. Rox’s chains restrained her, but the Sorceress could see her almost vibrating in excitement. Roxanne turned to the Sorceress, leaning over to speak in her ear.

“The tall man in the coat: that is my husband, Steven.”

The Sorceress nodded and halted the group. She then motioned the Captain forward.

“Take the prisoners away. The Wizard’s party will be brought inside.”

She then turned and collected Roxanne, and her body guard. She quietly spoke to Roxanne as she went. “Come on. This must be done formally. Besides, you do look different than when you last saw him.”

Steven caught Caspian’s shoulder. “I think that is her. But she looks really different.”

Miri was led to the stables. The rest climbed the stairs, crossed the balcony, and went into a hall, where The King stood with a small entourage. The Sorceress moved forward, and curtsied. Roxanne followed two steps behind. They then moved aside, and stood to their usual positions at The Kings left, Roxanne two steps behind to the Sorceress’s left. Steven noticed as he entered the room that aside from the tall woman, whom he was all but sure was Roxanne, he was the tallest one in the room. Again. Only a small number of people were here, and all centered around a well built looking man, with a large gold necklace and collar on his chest.

They approached, with Caspian, Steven, and Abey behind the guards. The guards genuflected, and then the Guard Captain spoke. Steven followed the Guards moves as did Abey and after the briefest pause, Caspian.

“Your Majesty. I present the three who captured and have custody of Lord Nadel of the Barony of Hafax. Caspian, the Mage; Steven Caplan; and Annabelle, daughter of Criga, of Beowa.”

Each bowed again, or curtsied.

Roxanne could hardly take her eyes from Steven.

Steven scanned the group, and let his gaze drift from The King to Roxanne. Caspian had said a bit about expecting her to be different, but this was a bit more than Steven was prepared for. In the strange costume, o.k., and different features, umm… with a white Mohawk, uaa . . .

Caspian stepped forward, and knelt. “Your Majesty. We are travelers searching to reunite this man,” he motioned to Steven, “to his wife and children. We have reason to believe that his wife, one Roxanne Caplan, was sold here in slavery several weeks ago. Can you enlighten us on this issue?”

The King smiled, and looked at the Sorceress, and Roxanne, and back.

“I bid you rise, and welcome.”

He thought a moment, motioned for the Sorceress and Roxanne to step forward, and then continued speaking.

“Formal thanks for your actions will follow later. I think my Adviser can help you best.”

He then turned and left with several of the guards closing ranks around him. As he went, he paused where The Queen was sitting, and taking her hand helped her to her feet. They then went away, hand in hand.

The Sorceress watched them leave, smiling, before continuing, in a much less formal manor. She then turned to the tall woman behind her.

“You say your husband is Steven Caplan. Is he this man here?” She already knew, but formalities aside, propriety must be observed.

Steven moved to approach, but a pole arm was lowered in his way, so he held his ground.

“Yes, my lady. That man is my husband.” Roxanne smiled her smile.

Steven felt all doubt leave his heart.

The Sorceress turned to him. “Sir, are you Steven Caplan, husband of Roxanne?”

Steven smiled wide. “Yes ma’am. I am.”

“This woman is currently in bond. The cost of a slave is considerable. What do you offer to me, to relinquish this bond unto you?”

“I offer the Lord Nadel, currently my prisoner.”

“A Lord is worth more than a single slave. You say you are travelers. The offer is this. For Lord Nadel, I will give you this woman and her possessions, provisions for your journey, and unhindered passage. Is this acceptable?”

Steven looked at Rox, and back to the Sorceress, grinning the whole time. “More than fair, My Lady.”

Steven almost moved again, but the pole arm was still in the way.

The Sorceress turned to the scribe, who had already drawn up the contract. As she went, to hand it to Steven, Caspian interceded.

“My Lady, while literate, he is not versed in your script. If I may?”

Caspian motioned toward the contract. Steven nodded, and the Sorceress handed him the contract. He looked it over briefly; Caspian would not admit it to anyone but he could not read this local script any better than Steven could. He then handed the sheet to Steven. “All is well, as expected.”

Steven took it. The alphabet was utterly unknown to him. A scribe handed him a quill, and indicated a line. Steven put the contract on the scribe’s board, and signed it.

The Sorceress then signed it.

The scribe spoke, as he countersigned it. “This contract is valid.”

The Sorceress turned to Roxanne, and reached for the choker. She pulled the medallion off, and then stepped aside.

Roxanne stepped forward as Steven pushed the pole arm aside. They embraced, and kissed, as they hadn’t in a long time.

Finally Roxanne spoke. “I knew you would come, eventually.”

“Of course. I always return.”

“Who are your friends?”

Steven turned, letting his hand fall to his wife’s side, to keep hold of her. Abey and Caspian were talking with the Sorceress and the Captain about her prisoner. Most of the rest of the guards were walking away.

“The man with the staff is Caspian. There is a long story to him. Suffice right now to say he got me here. The young woman is a native whom we picked up. She will take more explaining.”

051 – Taking Stock, Taking Baths

Their business finished, the guards filed away, though the Sorceress and her body guard stayed. She started talking to Caspian.

“Are you the Caspian known for the Hildyar Pass Collapse and the Orders Library Fire?’

Caspian grimaced. “I’m afraid so.”

“By your reaction, I see the popular account must not be the full account.”

Cyrril finally came fluttering in through a high window, squawking, and landed on Caspian’s shoulder.

Caspian looked a bit flummoxed. “The popular account is rarely full or accurate. This is Cyrril. And yes, there is more to the stories. My Lady, is there somewhere we can freshen up? This has already been a long day.”

The Sorceress smiled. “Follow me.”

She took Caspian and Abey to separate apartments in the guest suites, after first getting their required gear from Miri’s pack. She had already told Roxanne that if she left without giving any instruction it meant that Rox had leave to eventually return to her rooms until given further instructions. This was where Rox took Steven when they noticed the rest leaving.

*          *          *

Rox closed the curtains behind them, as Steven stopped and looked around the room. The high ceilings with their windows, the chandelier, and the carved stone work. Then down to the furniture.

Steven stood there looking around, as Rox first pulled his great coat, then sword belt off.

“So, this is where you have been staying?” Steven still had not moved.

“Yes. It’s comfortable, once you get used to it.”

Silence filled the room, as Rox put the sword and coat on a chair at a side table. She turned to see Steven looking at her. She looked back at her husband, and then stood to her full height. She turned to right face, left face, and about. Then back to her husband.

“Well?”

“What happened? Your hair, your eyes and ears…”

Roxanne crossed back to him, and wrapped him up, arms around his shoulders. He responded in reflexive kind, arms around her waist.

“It turns out that my Grandmother’s mother was an elf, native to this world.”

“I’ve been told that already, by Caspian. What of your looks?”

“Evidently elves use magic to disguise themselves. The pentagram and phrase I spoke on the kids? That’s the invocation of the spell. The Sorceress removed the spell from me shortly after I arrived here. This is how I look, genetically.”

Steven did not move, even though he was totally convinced this was his wife. He was still shocked by her appearance.

Roxanne broke the embrace, as Linell showed up with Steven’s cloak and back pack. She handed them to Rox and left quickly. Roxanne put the bag down on a chair and started to empty it. Steven noticed that his crossbow was not in the delivery. The half full quiver of bolts rattled a bit on his right hip as he walked.

“I hope you brought me some clothes. What I was wearing when I was kidnapped is long since gone.”

Steven was suddenly there, helping her pull stuff from the bag and coat pockets.

He had noticed her costume, and how revealing it was, but duty and distraction had kept him from reacting. Now he took her hands in his, bringing her around the chair. He just looked into her eyes.

They were embracing, sobbing, and snogging in the next moment, relieved that they were finally together again.

*          *          *

The Sorceress and two of her guard strode along with Caspian. They left Abey in her suite where she had gone in, exclaimed in excitement at the bath, and closed the door. Caspian had seen his then asked for some food and water. The Sorceress had decided to accompany him to the closest kitchen, and informal eating area. As they went, Caspian began asking what had happened with Roxanne over the last weeks.

“When Roxanne first arrived, she had only an after image of magic to her. I did a general Identify spell, and her aura jumped around, with an active spell operating at a very basic level. I then did a general, deep dispelling of all magic on her. Immediately her hair and features began changing. As her body stabilized, I put in energy to stabilize things. Her aura stabilized, her hair changed color, and her eyes and ears adjusted. Her physiology settled to a higher level of stasis than pervious.

“Since then, physically, her skin has lightened some, she has added some muscle, and her hair has adopted the elf pattern.” The Sorceress gestured to the door they were to turn into, leading the way.

“Like a piece of cloth relaxing after being under tension.” Caspian commented, understanding. He followed her into the dining area. The room opened to a balcony that over looked the north east part of the city which Caspian had not seen before.

The Sorceress motioned for a sandwich tray to be brought over and led Caspian to a table on the balcony.

She continued her story. “Precisely so. But I was mildly surprised to find a latent talent for magic. So was she. Roxanne reported using a spell on her children when they were newborns, and that the same was done to her. Building on that, I have been teaching her the fundamentals of spell casting as I was taught them, and a bunch of house keeping spells. I have not really taught her any combat magic, but she seams the type to come up with things on her own.”

“That does not surprise me. The elves who sent me after her family did not mention anything, but for an elf to pass for a human, that requires some magic talent. I am guessing that her great grandmother, the elf, was also a mage of some skill. Evidently that has passed down.” Caspian nodded.

They sat at a table, Caspian holding the chair for The Sorceress, and then taking his own. Cyrril flew off over the side of the balcony and disappeared.

“So how far have you gotten?” Caspian needed to know what Roxanne thought she knew.

“Well, we started with basic mana theory. We have done some reagents; both in potions and ointments, and larger spells. We have talked about resonance and deconstruction. Echoing was the next theory to address. She was almost inordinately interested in my mirror and using it to scry on her children. I have been putting that off, saying to wait until I could use it in a lesson. Now that they are together, at the right moment, I will let them see if there children are still healthy. The Queen is also interested in who has them.”

The tray of rolls, sliced meats, cheeses, and vegetables was put down between them as was a pitcher of water and two glasses. The guards stood at a taller table near by eating from their own tray and drinks.

Caspian nodded as he began assembling a sandwich. He already knew who had the children, and where they were going. But he figured revealing that information here would be more trouble than it’s worth. So he changed the direction of the conversation.

“I can pick up the teaching from where I understand you have said. You haven’t gotten into diagrams and runes, yet?” Caspian bit into his sandwich.

“No, actually. I don’t consciously use them much, save on others.” She nibbled some vegetables, having had a hearty breakfast, and so not as hungry now.

Caspian paused, looking at one of the rings The Sorceress wore. He had seen it before, but now he remembered where, and derailed the previous conversation for a new one. “Wait a moment. Were you the prodigy student of Master Elinor, who ultimately taught her about combining symbols?”

The Sorceress blushed a little, looking a bit sheepish.

“Your ring gives you away. You went through school about seven years ahead of me. She was still talking about you.”

“I suppose she still is, if she still does magic.”

Caspian had to pause before answering. “She had a sigil turn her inside-out, three years ago. My father tells me that she is reported back on solid food as of last fall. She no longer teaches.”

“Your father is at the school?” She had heard of Caspian The Troubler, but not much about his family.

“No,” Caspian replied. “He is second in the Evocation Order in the School of the Orders. He gets to do all the un-fun stuff, like visiting the training schools and see how well they are doing. And he was an early student of then Journeyman Elinor.”

She nodded. This was new information, but not of any real value at this time, if ever. On the other hand, she might be able to use it to get in contact if she needed to.

Caspian finished his sandwich and turned back to his own business. “So, Roxanne knows a handful of house keeping spells, and basic theory. Have you seen her in a fight, yet?”

The Sorceress shook her head. “No. A little training, but not a real fight. I am told she is good. She has been teaching one of the Pages here to fight. The result of that has been a shakeup of who’s in charge of the Pages. After Rox leaves, my bodyguards are going to take over teaching the Pages.”

The Sorceress continued before Caspian could speak. “I am going to give her a stick I have had. I got it not long after getting out of school. It has magic to it, but I have not stored or channeled any magic in it. She was carrying it when she went with her husband. It breaks in half, for use as two sticks, or magically extends to triple its length for field fighting. I was told it can do a few other things, but I have never been where I could use it. It seems to echo her preferred weapon type.”

Caspian had one or two other questions, but most of what else he was interested in he could learn as they traveled. “To summarize; she is adapted to mana and shown a skill for magic. She is a good fighter. The subtext, and also from what I have learned from her husband, is that she is well disciplined, and will travel well. Now it is time for her to get put together for travel and go retrieve her kids. While traveling, I can teach her more magic, and you want to give her a staff to use. ”

The Sorceress listened, nodding. “That about sums her up. Now, you better go clean up. A tailor will be sent by to get you outfitted. Tonight you dine with The King and Queen, so be on your best behavior.”

*          *          *

Steven and Roxanne sat in the tub, watching the light through the window. Over the last two hours they had tended to and bathed each other and gotten caught up on what had happened to them, generally.

Rox had told of fighting the intruders, and the disorientation of her first days on planet. Then of The Sorceress and what they had done together; of the changes to her body.

Steven told of the annoying deputy, meeting Caspian, and the telephone call from Margot. Also of his trip to this world, and how he finally accepted it.

“I think I killed a half dozen men this morning.” Steven deadpanned it. He had killed as a sniper before leaving the Marines. It was those skills he had drawn upon this morning.

Rox took this in, and one brief memory from her own fight caught her. “I think I may have killed one as well. I remember hitting a man in the throat with the stick I was using. He fell and I moved on to bash another man. Am I supposed to feel numb over this?”

Steven felt a bit of detachment, as he held his wife in his arms. “’Fair is all my guys come home.’ But that is not comforting. We can howl over the nightmares together. But it was a battle, kill or be killed. Survivor’s guilt is something to deal with. But be glad you are alive to deal with it. I am.”

052 – Preparations, Dinner, Aftermath

Rox moved away from Steven, climbed out of the tub, and dried herself off. She left the towel, and went to finish unpacking his things. Steven did not watch her go, instead watching his own memories sort and file away.

“You never answered before. Did you bring me anything to wear?” She had commented about her loincloth as they had undressed. She found it uncomfortable. At the bottom of his bag she found the stuff sacks. He always packed extra clothes in these. The red were his, the blue for her, green for Diana and black for Alex. There was no red in here, and only one each of the others.

“Evidently, not much.” She pulled her fist sized bag out, leaving the kids bags, and opened it pulling out the contents.

Steven was wrapped in a towel, mostly dry, and came over and unrolled his bedroll, to get his second set of clothes.

“I brought more for you and each of the kids, but it was too bulky, so we sold it. That’s all that’s left.”

She pulled the underwear from the roll, putting the rest on the bed.

“You have no idea how appreciated this stuff is.” She had her panties on and was pulling the black trunks on. “Which did you bring and sell?”

“One of your jeans, and a flannel top.” He had his boxers on, and was turning his trousers over to find the top.

“One of the red ones?” She looked at the black spandex noting her school logo on it, and switched to the blank tan one.

“Yeah. The one with the repaired sleeve.”

“Why’d you bring that one?” Rox moved to the wardrobe and pulled the court formal gown out, sounding slightly upset.

Steven fastened his trousers. “Because I knew you liked it, and didn’t know where we were coming to. Once here I figured we may as well dress native.”

She paused, looking at him through the neck of the drape. Then she settled the open sided drape on, wrapping the skirt around. “I’ll dress in my own clothes thank you.”

Steven laced up the front of his shirt, watching Rox tie the sash to close the gown, similar to the one she had been wearing earlier. There was plenty enough fabric in the gown, but it was all but transparent, and opened too much for his liking. The right angles would show her whole chest. He had noticed that she was more defined than he remembered. The muscles were in stronger relief against each other. With the gown in place, she tied on her slippers.

She took his bag and coat again and finished emptying them.

“Did you bring me anything else?”

“You don’t shave, you don’t have a period anymore, and I don’t have more than a vague idea about makeup.” He opened his toiletry bag, and produced her toothbrush, a small hairbrush, and comb. “This was all I grabbed.”

Rox took these back to the bathroom, taking his towel with her.

Growing up, Rox had been aware of her mother’s lack of body hair, from the skimpy swimsuits Margot wore. Then when Rox had entered puberty, the question came up at school of whether she shaved or waxed her bikini line. She had not earned any points when she replied that she did not grow any hair below her head. Rox soon learned to avoid the subject, save with her mother.

This and other things earned Rox the enmity of a clique of girls in middle and high school. It culminated in their junior year. These girls, jealous of Rox’s looks and who she spent time with, grew increasingly nasty to her. Rox just shrugged it off. If these wanted to spend time with the jocks, they could also lift weights, as she did. Same with auto shop. Then she was asked to The Prom. This was too much. The week or so before the prom, Rox handed out one broken arm, three bloody noses, and a multitude of bumps and bruises.

Everyday for the proceeding week, these six accosted her as the weight lifting class and cheer leaders ran the track for warm up. On Thursday she broke one of the bones in one of the girl’s arms, and got detention for it.

That Saturday, her sensei took her to task for this, temporarily dropping her one belt level, and taught her that there are more effective ways of settling this, without breaking bones.

On Wednesday, the six came again, with large sticks. So Rox bloodied and broke three noses, doubled the number of bruises passed out, and turned them all to flight. She had enough witnesses to the six being armed with sticks that she was only scolded.

On Thursday, one of the girl’s mothers called Margot threatening to file suite for the cost of plastic surgery on her daughter’s nose. Margot countered with harassment and assault charges against the six girls for starting the fights. Neither suite happened.

On Saturday, only one of the six was at The Prom. She was still limping from a kick received just above her knee. Her skirts were long enough to cover her black and blue legs.

They never troubled Roxanne after that.

The last she had heard:

One was pregnant at graduation. When the father dumped her instead of marrying her, she put the baby up for adoption, and got into the Air Force Academy. The latest word on her was that she flew fighter planes, and married another Air Force Officer.

Two went to Las Vegas after graduation, with the intent of becoming Cabaret Dancers. Rox had not heard much since, except as a body count. 4 abortions, 5 ex-husbands, and 3 children between them.

One went on to a law degree, and moved to Chicago, at last report.

One was doing time. She had become a rich guy’s mistress, and then tried to embezzle from him. Rumor was ‘seven years plus’ with two still to go.

The last had married happily and worked with her husband to raise and support their children.

Rox was not sure why all this had passed through her mind. Here she was: 2 kids, a business owner husband, and a partnership in a dojo, with her cars on the side. Yet now she was learning magic, and getting ready to go to some unknown place to rescue her kidnapped children.

Rox finished brushing her teeth, and found Steven leaning on the table, repacking his bag. She looked at his clothes, and picked up his dirty ones.

“Is this all you have?”

He looked up and over to her. “Yes.”

“While you are here, we need to get you something more formal.”

“To what end? Soon as we can get resupplied, I want to get going.”

She noticed he was rolling some of her less expensive jewelry in a chamois and tying it with a leather thong. This went into a pocket with two other rolls.

“How much of my stuff did you bring?”

“Everything that cost under $200 a piece. Do you still have your wedding rings?”

“No. They were taken by the slave master.” Rox noticed that he was not wearing his. “Where’s yours?”

“At home, with your expensive jewelry, and all my guns.” He absently fingered where his ring should be.

“Well, this is a palace.” Roxanne affected a prim voice. “It is improper to go about in less than formal dress.” As she said this she touched her fingers to her sternum, and elevated her chin to look down her nose at him.

Roxanne them moved across the room and pulled the bell cord to summon a Page. In a few moments there was a knock at the door, and a boy in fine dress stood there as she opened it. Rox looked him over briefly, not recognizing him, which was not a surprise.

“I need a tailor, for a gentleman, before meal time if possible.”

“Yes ma’am.” The boy turned and quickly walked away.

Steven watched him go. “He can’t be much older than Diana.”

“Most of the Page’s aren’t.”

Roxanne then set about putting the collar and gold chains back on.

“What are you putting those on for?” While walking through the palace, Steven had seen other men and women wearing them.

“It’s expected. And I get more respect this way.”

“In slave chains?”

“In golden ones. Marking me as belonging to the palace, and am therefore doing something important.”

The tailor showed up, with an apprentice in tow, holding several small bolts of fabric. Roxanne set about explaining things, and the tailor sent the apprentice away, to retrieve something. He then set about measuring Steven, and writing down what he found.

The apprentice returned, and they lay out what he had brought. The largest formal attire they had. They dismissed the stuff that was too wide, and looked at the tall stuff. The tallest was still too short for Steven, but it was a starting point. By dinner time, when a quad of guards came to get them, they had Steven in presentable dress.

As they left the room, the Caplan’s went arm in arm, and were joined by The Sorceress, also in formal dress, Linell having attended to her. They entered a smaller dining room than the formal one Roxanne had been in earlier, with only one oblong table, so all could face each other. Shortly Caspian and Abey, both cleaned up and in borrowed formal dress, each looking as uncomfortable as the other, joined them to sup with a King and Queen.

The Queen conducted the dinner and soon everybody was relaxing. The King sat at the approximate head, with The Queen to his left. The Sorceress sat to her left, with Caspian next to her. The approximate foot of the table was empty. Abey sat opposite to Caspian on the other side of the round, with Steven at her left opposite the Sorceress, Roxanne at his left next to The King and opposite The Queen. During the conversations, the subject came up of how Steven had come to have Abey along. All attention turned to Steven, as Abey smirked and deferred to him.

Steven put his fork down, meshed his fingers over his plate and started. “Well, what it amounts to is my being an outlander, and getting tangled up in local customs.”

Roxanne put her bit of food down, cueing her curiosity from Abey’s mirth. “What’s this?”

Abey started in, before Steven could finish collecting his thoughts. “Well, I was given in marriage to an absolute scum. I refused to even go to his house, let alone his bed. So I was put out of the village. After about a month of resisting the scum, and staying out where I was put, I was in bad shape. I’m still not sure how much longer I would have had to wait for either of my parents to come and get me. My younger sister was getting me enough water to keep going. Well, Steven and Caspian came by. Caspian was going to go right on by, but Steven stopped, and carried me into the village. He then laid the scum out in a few hits, and took me to his care.”

The whole party, save for Steve laughed at this.

“Since then, I have been acting as his servant, until I can repay the honor debt.”

The Queen spoke up then. “May we presume that he turned down the usual method of payment?”

“Yes.” Abey responded. “And in a very dignified manor.”

Roxanne looked from Abey to Steven at this. “The usual method?”

Steven blushed, a bit.

“I offered myself to him. He turned me down, to not betray your love.” Abey spoke this quickly.

“I want to hear the whole story.” Roxanne’s tone hardened.

Steven blushed deeper, to the mirth of all there, save Roxanne. So she came to her husband’s rescue.

“It can wait until we are in private.” Her tone softened, and ended the conversation.

They all continued to chuckle, as the conversation moved on to Abey’s heritage. Abey continued the story of their journey, stopping at the lake, going to the highland village and pit fighting, and then climbing the mountains and coming down into the valley. Finally they told of the encounter with the wagon train that made them uncomfortable, and finished with meeting the Mountain Wolves and entering the city before them.

Before Caspian could begin to give grief over not being believed about the train, The King began to ask about the condition of things in the portion of The Kingdom they had traveled through. Abey spoke most, being native, and giving a more specific report than Steven or Caspian were inclined to.

Rox noted how much attention was paid to what by whom. The King and Queen were both interested in domestic matters. The Queen more so than The King in foreign items. The Sorceress mostly seemed to simply be along for the ride, but listening to everything. The King also was very solicitous to The Queen, and seemed to pay her almost as much attention as Rox did to Steven. Caspian seemed bored with things he was not involved with, and did not contribute much, save to add a few of his own points here and there. One story that was not brought up was how Steven and Caspian came together and arrived on this planet. Steven had already related that to Rox, but she found it curious that neither of the Royals were interested enough to enquire after Steven’s exact origin. Neither did they enquire much after the sinister wagon train.

After the deserts were finished, and the conversations wandering from any specific subjects, The King and Queen dismissed themselves, and left the rest to leave at their whim. The Royal couple left, hand in hand, with four guards in a square about them.

Once they were gone, Roxanne finally felt free to pursue the line of questioning that she had wanted to. She looked at the Sorceress nursing an after dinner goblet of drink, as she and Caspian finished some conversation.

“My Lady, I have a question, if I may.”

The Sorceress turned to Rox. “Yes?”

“As I have listened to the conversation this evening, nothing has been asked about the wagon train that attacked today. Nor about my husbands origin. Why not?” Rox was not sure what answer she would get.

The Sorceress took a deliberate drink, and swallow. “I expect that the real reason for the first is that The King and Queen already know more about that attacking force than those sitting at this table could share. I am not sure how much I am at liberty to say. But I can tell you now, that The Queen is the head of the information gathering part of the military. We knew that force was coming since it left its home most of two weeks ago.”

“If not longer, knowing how intelligence and diplomatic agencies work together.” Steven added this without thinking.

The Sorceress said nothing, but her expression said volumes about how this was now a closed subject. “As for your husband’s origin, it is essentially the same as yours. That he travels in the company of a known Mage empirically fills in the gaps.”

Steven and Roxanne were back in her rooms, when she finally turned to him.

“So what happened, with Abey?” Roxanne stood a step back, hands on her hips.

“Well, it was as she said. She was in duress, and I stumbled into helping her. Well, this brought about an honor debt, as she sees it. Evidently among these people, sex is a way to relieve an honor debt. So one night, while Caspian was away hunting, she began to undress. She had her shirt off, when I took hold of her wrists to keep her from removing her skirt. She had a bra of some kind on. I told her that I was married, and would not do that with her. So she put her shirt back on. And that was that.” Steven stood leaning against a table.

“Then a few days later at the lake, she went skinny dipping, after teasing me a bit. We were washing our clothes, in three separate places on the shore. Far enough apart to give a modicum of privacy. Close enough to keep a watch on each other. Then you heard about her pit fight, in her skivvies.”

Steven stood opposite his wife, with his arms folded. “Anything else?”

“We will see.”

Whether Rox forgave Steven or not or even felt she had anything more to forgive him of, they slept in the same bed for the first time in weeks.